ALDS battle Yankees avoid early elimination vs. Indians

NEW YORK — Masahiro Tanaka's splitter and Aaron Judge's glove and 6-foot-7 frame had kept the Indians from scoring on Sunday night, allowing a sellout crowd at Yankee Stadium to find its voice.

And that sound jumped another decibel level when Greg Bird drove one into the right field second deck.

Bird's home run off ex-teammate Andrew Miller — and a five-out save by Aroldis Chapman — lifted the Yankees to an essential 1-0 victory in Game 3, following their dramatic Game 2 loss on Friday at Cleveland.

A failed replay challenge, leading to Francisco Lindor's pivotal grand slam — helping erase what had been a five-run Yanks lead — hung in the pregame Bronx air.

But that air soon turned electric as Tanaka limited Cleveland to three hits, struck out seven, and prevented the Yanks from elimination in a best-of-five Division Series; the Indians lead two games to one.

After 52/3 sharp innings, Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco was rescued in the sixth by the left-handed Miller, but the lefty-swinging Bird jumped on a 1-and-1 fastball to start the seventh — causing bedlam in the stands and inside the home dugout.

The M-V-P chants for Judge started up again as he used his height to his advantage, leaping just a little and extending his glove to take back a would-be two-run homer by Lindor in the sixth.

Tanaka tipped his cap in thanks.

With runners at first and second in the ninth, Chapman struck out Jay Bruce (0-for-4, 4 Ks) and got Carlos Santana to fly out to end it.

Before a pitch was thrown, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was heavily booed during the baseline introductions — a response to his non-challenge of a critical hit-by-pitch call in Game 2.

“I worry about other people's future, but not my own,” Girardi said of his job status possibly being in jeopardy; his contract expires after this season. “And whatever happens, happens.”

And what would have happened if the Yankees season ended without their best regular-season starter throwing an inning in the ALDS?

After failing to get out of the first inning in the Yankees' 8-4 wild card win last Tuesday against the Twins, Luis Severino was available out of the bullpen Sunday night if necessary. Now he's the Game 4 starter, with the Yanks once again facing elimination.

“You could say that,” Girardi said before the game of the chance that the Yanks could be knocked from the Division Series without an inning from Severino. “But to win it, he has to start.”

From the start on Sunday night, Tanaka was in brilliant form, striking out three of the first four batters he faced and getting a double play grounder to end the second.

Faced with a trouble spot in the fourth inning, Tanaka was at his best — with an assist from his catcher.

Jason Kipnis drilled a one-out triple to right, a liner that clicked off the thumb of Judge's outstretched glove as he ran toward his left.

Whether it was catchable or not, Kipnis was on third, the infield was in, and Tanaka had a critical situation on his hands.

The right-hander responded by striking out both Jose Ramirez and Bruce, swinging at an assortment of sliders and sharp splitters — requiring a couple of good blocks by Gary Sanchez, whose penchant for passed balls and wild pitches on his watch has been a spotlight this season.

In a rare show of emotion, Tanaka whirled off the mound, shouting and punching at the air after getting Bruce, who had hit home runs in each of the first two ALDS games.

And a roaring Stadium crowd of 48,614 accompanied Tanaka back to the dugout.

Just as it sounded during Tuesday night's wild-card game, Yankee Stadium's noise level was reminiscent of the old crowds at the original ballpark.

“I was a big fan of the old one, it was just so much personality,” Indians manager Terry Francona said before the game of the former Yankee Stadium, having managed some huge regular and postseason series in the remodeled House That Ruth Built.

“You swallow a little asbestos, it isn't the end of the world, is it?” Francona said, a little jab at the ancient feel of the old place. “By the time the anthem was over, people were just berating you.

“Now, you look sometimes in the lower bowl and people aren't really there,” Francona added. “I just thought the other place had an unbelievable amount of personality.”

On Monday night, the new place will hold at least one more game in 2017.

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(c)2017 The Record (Hackensack, N.J.)

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